


Love (Petals) in the Air

by Samnyeong



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Drabbles, Hanahaki Disease, M/M, each chapter has a different centric ship but with mentions of other ships, relationship tags will be updated as each ship is revealed, suspense is good for healthy mentality
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-22
Updated: 2017-04-04
Packaged: 2018-09-26 01:56:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,948
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9856766
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Samnyeong/pseuds/Samnyeong
Summary: Chan is skilled in the art of pressing flowers, and he enjoyed the satisfied looks on his customers when they visit his workshop.But what he enjoyed even more, were the various stories behind each masterpiece.





	1. Yellow Acacia

Chan remembered it like it was just yesterday, when he produced his first "masterpiece". He had just opened his workshop, thinking that it'd be another day of parents taking their kids over for fun, or squealing school girls who would be soon disillusioned by the harsh discipline needed to complete the art. He wouldn't dare to say that his business was going well, but at least he was managing.

So he definitely hadn't expected a young man to come practically barging into his store, a bag of bright yellow petals in one hand, the other hand came slamming down on the counter, "How much is one session?"

"...What?" Chan had blinked, staring at the man in front of him.

He had a very slender built, sharp eyes, almost piercingly so as he stared earnestly into Chan's, "Please... I want to put these into some good use... Before it's too late."

* * *

Hanahaki Disease - An illness where the patient coughs or throws up petals. The cause - one-sided love. However, there were two methods of curing it. One, the other half returns the patient's love; two, go through an operation, which will remove both the illness as well as the feelings that were originally harbored.

Wen Junhui, Chan's current student, had decided to choose the latter. After all, it was far more easier than torturing himself with false hope, that his love would one day be returned. But before he forgot about his feelings completely, he wanted to put them somewhere, somehow, he needed some sort of closure. Chan watched as Junhui smoothed out his handpicked petals, spreading them out on a thin piece of paper with delicate touches.

"Let's start with what kind of pattern you want, shall we?" Chan prompted when Junhui simply stopped and stared at the randomly spread out petals, which were nothing but yellow blotches at the moment.

"...I know this is cheesy, but can I make it into a keychain? Something that I can carry around easily..." Junhui said slowly, rearranging the soft petals so that they formed tiny blooms in the middle of the paper, a very simple and straightforward design.

"Sure, of course." Chan replied, "It might take some time to get the final product though."

"That's fine." Junhui closed his eyes, "I guess there's really no rush."

Under Chan's close watch, Junhui pressed the petals, along with the piece of paper, between two pieces of wood and another sheet of paper, pushing down as hard as he could. In contrast to Junhui's almost clumsy and brutish actions, Chan skillfully drilled holes into the corners of the wooden sandwich, wedging them together tightly.

"This will take three to four weeks, but I'll help you change the blotter sheets if you want-" Chan paused as a puff of yellow petals burst out of Junhui's mouth right as the flower press was taken to the back, away from his sight.

"...Thank you." Junhui smiled. A pitifully painful smile.

Over the next few weeks, Junhui never failed to check on his work, even helping around the workshop when he happened to walk in on a class. Of course, that face of his was definitely attracting more female customers than ever, and Chan noted that some students only chose certain days to come just to admire his prince-like features. He shook his head. That girl he was in a one-sided love with had no idea what she was missing out on.

But at the time, Chan didn't think that he'd be the one who literally had no idea about how complicated things really were, and how tragically things could have potentially turned out.

It started out as a normal day. Junhui was helping him out by clearing out his storage space in the back, bringing out some of the unfinished products from previous classes, including his own, so that they wouldn't be accidentally thrown out. Chan had grown used to the occasional bursts of yellow petals coming out of Junhui, and because the latter felt like it was a shame for them to go to waste, Chan had pressed them into multiple artworks, some of which he had framed on the walls.

In particular, one artwork was done with the help of Junhui. It definitely wasn't the most beautiful or well-designed piece, but there was something about it. On a sheet of paper, there were multiple yellow petals of different shades, textures, shapes, morphing into a sunset. While making the piece, Chan had asked Junhui what sort of person his one-sided love was.

Arranging the piece with soft touches, Junhui's gaze grew gentle, and a glow almost lighted up on his face as he spoke, "They're like the sun. Maybe you wouldn't think so at first glance since they always have a stoic look on, but their actions are very warm. Their presence is calming, yet fleeting. Like the setting sun."

Chan shook his head at the memory. The more he spent time with Junhui, the more he thought his feelings were wasted on a person who couldn't even see his care towards them.

The sound of wind bells alerted Chan that someone had entered the store. Wiping his hands on his work apron, Chan left the storeroom to greet the customer, "Welcome..." His voice trailed off. The customer was busy staring at Junhui's sunset work, an unreadable expression on his face. Surprise, serenity, mixed with what appeared to be admiration.

"Ah, hello." Noticing Chan's presence, the customer greeted him hastily, "I was passing by, and this piece happened to catch my eye... Did you make this by any chance?"

"Partially. It was designed by my student, actually."

The customer pursed his lips, turning once more to stare at the yellow-orange gradient on the wall. "It's breathtaking."

Chan felt a sense of pride welling up in his chest. This was the first time someone actually bothered to stop and admire his students' handiwork. Despite the obvious rough edges, Junhui had truly poured his heart into the work. Chan would never forget the way his eyes sparkled when the artwork finally began to take shape under his mentor's guidance.

But as Chan was thinking about whether to call Junhui out so that he could experience the joy of being praised for his hard work himself, said person had already hustled out from the back with a fresh vase of yellow acacia, "By the way, Chan, your order came today-"

_CRASH!_

Chan whipped his head around to see Junhui staring blankly at the customer, ignoring the shattered vase.

"Junhui?" The customer raised an eyebrow.

"Wonwoo, w-what are you doing here?" Junhui stammered while grabbing a broom to clean up the mess, bowing apologetically to Chan in the process.

"Oh, I was actually just in here to take a closer look at this piece." The customer, Wonwoo, replied, indicating towards the sunset on the wall.

Chan could see a shade of red creeping up into Junhui's cheeks, then eventually put two and two together. Junhui wasn't pining after some girl, it was this guy. That actually explained a lot. "You know each other?" Nonetheless, Chan decided prompting was needed.

"Ah, yes, this is Jeon Wonwoo-"

"Hi, I'm this guy's best friend." A small smile appeared on the initially stone-faced man as he reached over to put an arm around Junhui, "I hope he hasn't been causing you too much trouble."

"Oh, not at all." Chan blinked, glancing at Junhui, whose lips had tightened into a thin line the moment Wonwoo mentioned 'best friend'.

Seemingly not noticing the tension, Wonwoo pulled Junhui closer in a teasing manner, "So this was where you've been ditching me to go to?"

"S-shut up. If you're done looking, get out!" With that, Junhui childishly pushed Wonwoo out while the latter merely chuckled as though it were an everyday occurrence.

Well, it soon became an everyday occurrence for Chan as well. Determined to meet the maker of the sunset artwork, Wonwoo began to follow Junhui every day after school to the workhouse. Chan wondered why Junhui refused to tell Wonwoo that he was the creator of the artwork, but decided that it wasn't his place to interfere.

However, Chan did notice the way Wonwoo would peek over Junhui's shoulder while the other worked with dried flowers, and the way Wonwoo's gaze would fall on the taller boy's side profile instead of the arrangement. In fact, sometimes Chan would even walk in on Wonwoo hugging Junhui around the waist while resting his chin on the latter's shoulder.

All this only made Chan scowl. To him, it was obvious that their feelings were mutual, but then it wouldn't make sense for Junhui to develop the Hanahaki Disease. Quietly, Chan walked up to the two while they were in another one of their oddly intimate cuddle sessions, "Junhui, I know it's been long overdue because of some shipment issues, but it's finally done."

Ignoring Wonwoo's narrowed eyes, Chan reached over and took Junhui by the wrist, dropping a keychain accessory into his palm. Junhui's eyes widened in delight upon seeing his first ever flower pressing completed, staring down at the blooming yellow acacia pattern lovingly.

"...Those petals... they're the same kind used for the sunset." Wonwoo mused, looking over Junhui's shoulder at the small art piece, "Junhui, you-"

"I'm sorry!" Junhui suddenly blurted out, shoving Wonwoo away from him. Before Chan or Wonwoo could do anything, Junhui had ran out of the workhouse.

Wonwoo stared after the retreating figure, his mouth almost hanging open at how dramatic of a scene he just experienced. Chan coughed lightly, "You know, Junhui channeled all of his feelings towards you into that sunset. I know it's not in my place to interfere with your relationship, but, I felt like you needed to know."

"...A sunset, huh?" Wonwoo mused, glancing over at the artwork he had taken such a great liking to, "...I guess he doesn't know me as well as I thought he did."

* * *

 

The next day, Chan was surprised to see Junhui return alone, his eyes were swollen. It wasn't hard to guess that he had spent a good chunk of last night crying himself to sleep. He wondered if anything happened with Wonwoo before he headed down there.

"You know, Chan, I went to get that operation after I left yesterday." Junhui croaked out after sitting down at the nearest worktable, fumbling with some fresh petals Chan had laid out earlier in preparation for their evening classes.

"...And? Are you cured?" Chan prompted gently, coming around the counter to sit across from his student.

Slowly, Junhui shook his head, but then nodded, then shook his head slightly again, "The doctor said I had been cured a long time ago. Come to think of it, I haven't been spitting up petals for a while, huh? Why didn't I notice...?" He let out a broken laugh, throwing the yellow acacia keychain onto the table, "My parents decided to move back to China. We won't be able to meet anymore..." He looked over silently at the sunset he had crafted with his own hands, "I suppose love is beautiful while it lasts, but gone in a flash. Just like that sunset."

Chan had remained silent throughout Junhui's vent, but his gaze had traveled to somewhere behind the older male. Junhui noticed the eerie silence too late, and before he could turn around, a strong pair of arms made themselves around him, pushing him back down in his seat.

"If you think a mere couple of miles is going to make me give up on you, I'm really going to rethink our entire relationship."

"W-Wonwoo...?" There was a tremble in Junhui's voice as he turned to look at the intruder, who still had his arms around him securely.

"To be completely honest, I only ever thought of you as a bro, since we grew up together and all..." Wonwoo spoke slowly, his voice low as he whispered in Junhui's ear, "But then you started to ignore me, hang out with other people, even doing things I didn't know you were into despite claiming to be your best friend... It made me realize just how much bigger of a presence you had in my life. In the sense that, I can't see my life without you in it."

"...Wonwoo, I-"

"Even if you move to China, we can still contact each other, right? I'll text you every day, call you every day, I'll even write to you the old-fashioned way if that's what will keep you thinking about me, even if we're miles away from each other..." Wonwoo moved away from Junhui slightly, cupping the older's face gently in his palms, "Just believe in me. I won't let you think of me as a fleeting sunset anymore."

Tears poured down Junhui's cheeks in a highly unattractive manner, but at least the smile on his face was no longer broken, "Stupid," he grumbled, putting his arms around Wonwoo's neck, "I've been thinking about you nonstop for over ten years, I can stand a couple more."

Kissing the top of Junhui's head, Wonwoo ran a hand through his dark locks, "You better come visit often."

A happy noise rumbled in Junhui's throat as he pressed himself into the crook of Wonwoo's neck. Chan simply smiled as he watched the sweet, and might he add, relieving, exchange between the two. He glanced down at the yellow acacias blooming on Junhui's key chain, droplets of water glistened upon the petals like stars in the sky.

_Star light, star bright. First star I see tonight. I wish I may, I wish I might. Have this wish I wish tonight._

May happiness be forever with these two.

...And many more to come.

* * *

 

Yellow acacia = _Value of friendship, secret love_


	2. White Daisy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chan becomes acquainted with WonHui's roommates.

Chan had just closed up the shop when he heard what sounded like someone running straight towards him at full speed, but when he opened the door to check, everything seemed fine. Wonwoo only came every other day to help him with new shipments, so there shouldn't be anyone coming at this time. He sighed. Maybe having only flowers as companions was finally taking a toll on his sanity.

He closed the door and prepared to pull down the shades when-

_BAM!_

Chan whipped his head around so fast he thought his neck made an 180-degree turn for a second. His eyes widened until he was sure people could see his whites entirely, for in front of him was practically the most horrific scene he had ever laid eyes on.

Some guy with platinum blonde hair wearing a basketball uniform and headband had crashed straight into the glass door, his face completely pressed against the surface. In Chan's professional eyes, it was like a humanized pressed flower gone wrong.

"Hey, Chan... I see you've met my roommate."

The shop owner looked behind the twisted figure to see Wonwoo, shaking his head in exasperation.

And that was Chan's first impression of Soonyoung (pun unintended). But this story wasn't about him, it was about Wonwoo's third roommate, whom he would soon be acquainted with under the most peculiar circumstances.

* * *

After much apologizing from the nutshell-at-first-look, Chan decided that since the guy seemed surprisingly fine, no one got hurt, and his door was safe and sound, they might as well put the entire accident behind them. In the meantime, Wonwoo explained to Chan that Soonyoung wanted to do some flower pressing himself after seeing Junhui's handmade key chain, which the latter had given to Wonwoo as a keepsake.

"The truth is, he has a heart he wants to win over." Wonwoo had whispered in Chan's ear while Soonyoung distracted himself with the artwork on the walls.

"Hey, hey, Wonwoo, which one did you say was Junhui's?" The taller boy immediately left Chan's company to shower his boyfriend's artwork with praises, leaving the shop owner speechless. Wonwoo seemed like a pretty cold guy at first glance, but once you got to know him, you'd realize he just has really slow reflexes, except when it came to Junhui.

Wondering which flower would suit Soonyoung's image, Chan combed through a fresh selection of flowers. Something colorful... bright... over the top, even...

"Ack!"

Chan immediately straightened himself and noticed a small pink fluff ball poking out from the side of his view. Strange, he didn't remember ordering any mimosas. But his confusion only deepened when he noticed white petals drifting down onto the sidewalk outside. The pink ball moved, and now that the flowers in the viewing window were no longer blocking his vision, Chan realized it was a person. He was wearing the same uniform as Wonwoo.

While keeping a close eye on Soonyoung with his beginner's work, Chan began to keep another eye towards the floor-to-ceiling windows. The flash of pink would appear at times, and then gone in the blink of an eye.

One day, Chan caught his chance when Soonyoung cancelled the day's session, and he was able to ambush the pink stalker, "Got you! Please explain to me why you've been spying on my customers-" before Chan could finish his accusation, a burst of white petals exploded practically right into his face.

"...Sorry." The pink haired boy picked off a coupe of stray petals from the corner of his mouth, "It's just something that happens sometimes. Often." The boy scowled lightly, drawing his hand out of Chan's uncomfortably, "Also, I'm sorry for being a creep. I'll stop-"

"You... That's Hanahaki Disease. A friend of mine had it before," Chan quickly grabbed onto the boy's bag to stop the latter from turning away, "It can be cured."

The boy's scowl deepened, "I know. I'm assuming your friend either had an operation or his feelings were returned. Either way, I'm happy for him, but there's no hope for me." With that, the boy attempted to leave again.

"You'll die if you don't do something about it-"

"So be it." The student replied bluntly, "It already feels like dying anyway. One-sided love."

"What makes you so sure that your feelings won't be returned one day?" Chan felt like he was trying to talk someone off a ledge at this point, and to be honest, that was probably not an exaggeration.

The boy hesitantly turned to face Chan, one hand gripping onto his backpack as he looked into the workshop owner's eyes, "My one-sided love is Kwon Soonyoung. Your student whom you've been helping with his wooing tactics."

Chan couldn't think of anything else to do, so he went with his instincts. He invited the boy inside, and asked if he wanted to make something out of the white daisy petals. The boy seemed reluctant at first, but Chan convinced him that since the petals were useless to him in their current state, he might as well make them into something useful, like a bookmark. Thankfully, the boy seemed to be a bookworm.

As they chatted and Chan gradually drew out more of the boy's personality, he suddenly felt like teaching the boy a different way to press flowers from what he had taught Junhui, Wonwoo, and Soonyoung.

Gathering the petals that he had managed to salvage from the boy's last coughing fit, Chan instructed the boy to rearrange the petals however he wanted on a blank piece of paper. However, the boy merely placed one single petal on the sheet. Staring at it for a while longer, he then added three more to the design. A white four-leaf clover.

Carefully, Chan placed another sheet of paper over the design, then slipped the whole thing between the pages of a book. He handed it over to the boy, "You can press them at home, it should take about two to three weeks. Also, if you ever run out of blotter sheets, just come down here and I'll give you some, free of charge."

The boy blinked a couple of times, staring down at the book. He took it hesitantly, then looked up at Chan, "...I changed my mind, I don't want a bookmark. Is it possible to make it into an earring?"

"Sure." Chan replied, although surprised from the sudden request.

"Thanks." The boy's lips formed a thin smile, "You're very kind, you know that?"

 

Lee Jihoon. That was the boy's name. Chan had learned it not from the person himself, but from Junhui, whom he had a video chat with once every week. The moment Chan mentioned pink hair, Junhui immediately spat out a name. Apparently, he was roommates with Wonwoo and Junhui in addition to Soonyoung. The young shopkeeper almost felt bad for the other two, it must be hard knowing your roommates are now progressing steadily while you're still struggling with your crush.

"Of course I know about Jihoon's feelings for Soonyoung." Junhui had said in a matter-of-fact tone, "But that's strange, I always thought Soonyoung returned his feelings."

Maybe, if Chan had been a better expert at Hanahaki Disease back then, or if he had asked whether Jihoon ever got a proper checkup, he could have foreseen what was about to unfold one day, when Wonwoo and Soonyoung decided to return to the shop during Chan's late session with Jihoon. Even though Chan had taken the final product of Jihoon's flower pressing and was now working on creating the earring, Jihoon still made sure to come check up with him every few days to see if the work was progressing smoothly.

"Oh, wow! Jihoon, I didn't know you came here, too!" Soonyoung had said excitedly the moment he saw their roommate, running over to the table to see what the boy was working on. Since Chan had been entrusted with the final product, Jihoon had been spending most of his time making random arrangements from the petals that would continuously burst from his mouth. Chan could have sworn they were getting increasingly worse as Soonyoung's own artwork approached completion.

Jihoon remained silent as Soonyoung looked over his shoulder, his chin almost resting on the top of his head from the height difference, "You're using daisies! White ones, too. Pure and simple, it suits you!"

Seeing the discomfort on the shorter boy's face, Chan tried to interfere but was stopped by Wonwoo, who gave the younger a warning glance that told him to stay quiet.

"...Yeah. Call me simpleminded."

"You know that I don't mean that..." Soonyoung said, his tone had become much more quiet, his gaze serious as he looked down at the shorter boy, "I've been meaning to have this conversation for a while, but what's up with you lately? It's like no matter what I say, you just snap at me."

"It's none of your business." Jihoon replied dryly.

Feeling the air turn cold, Chan decided that it really was best for him to change the topic, so he took out the earring that Jihoon had spent so much care in making and placed it on the table, "I forgot to tell you, congratulations, this is your final session."

Jihoon's eyes widened, looking down at the tiny white clover-shaped petals, neatly encased in crystal. There was a certain glow to it as he placed it under the light, like amber. A small smile graced his lips, the sincerest one Chan had ever seen on him.

Of course, like Chan had learned, peace never lasted as long as they liked.

"Wow, you can immediately tell the pattern's stylized by you." Soonyoung commented, peering at the small accessory on the table top.

"What is that supposed to mean?" The smile immediately vanished.

"It means... It's simple."

"Right."

Chan could tell that Jihoon's passive aggressive tone was getting on Soonyoung's nerves, and eventually, the taller boy slammed a hand down on the table, "Why do you have to be so difficult?!" 

They all watched on in horror as the newly completed earring rolled off the table from the impact, and shattered into bits at Soonyoung's feet. Jihoon immediately bent down, touching the ruined petals with shaking hands, his bottom lip trembled as he bit down on it. Cradling the scattered bits of his first heartfelt arrangement in his palms, Jihoon glared at Soonyoung, "That's right, I guess I'm just difficult. Even though I know you like someone else, I still stubbornly held onto my one-sided feelings for you. I even told myself I wouldn't stop loving you even if I end up standing at the front of the red carpet as your best man. But this time... This time you've really done it." Jihoon's voice cracked as he looked down at the broken pieces on the floor, so many pieces that he couldn't salvage.

The boy stormed out the door, meanwhile, Soonyoung had been rooted to the spot in shock throughout the whole rant, but finally remembered how his legs worked when Jihoon darted out of his sight. Chan and Wonwoo quickly followed after him, eventually catching up to Jihoon, who was still cradling the broken white petals in his hands, a tear had rolled down his cheek. But he wiped it away immediately when he caught sight of the others.

"What do you want now? Just leave me alone." He croaked.

"Jihoon..." Soonyoung squatted down, pulling out a bracelet charm from his pocket, "I've been meaning to give this to you for a while."

Ignoring Jihoon's scowl, Soonyoung dropped the item into the younger's hands. Made up with white daisy petals, there was an igloo in the midst of dancing snowflakes. There was a certain warmth to it despite the snowy scenery and bland colors. "...What is this?"

"You see, you're cold on the outside, but to me, your existence is like... shelter. Someone I can turn to during a storm, someone whom I'd like to see when I return home. A place to turn to, and a place to return to." Soonyoung explained, putting the charm on Jihoon's charm bracelet, which he's had since he was little, and the older knew he never stopped wearing it, because Wonwoo, Junhui, and Soonyoung all had matching ones as some sort of childish friendship oath.

But Soonyoung no longer only desired friendship from Jihoon, so with this charm, Jihoon's bracelet would hold a special sign to Soonyoung alone. "...You're so cheesy." The younger boy grumbled, but allowed Soonyoung to put the charm on obediently.

The older chuckled, pressing their foreheads together, "Can I say it?"

"...You're going to say it anyway, right?"

"Damn straight. I love you, Lee Jihoon- Ow! What?!"

"Nothing, I just found the sentence so ironic that I couldn't help it." Jihoon replied monotonously, but a glimmer of amusement sparked in his eyes as Soonyoung pretended to pout.

Chan watched the newly formed couple's bantering and smiled. It was true that opposites attract, and in the best ways possible. They saw the values that they didn't have themselves but desired in each other, and even though sparks would fly from time to time, Chan knew that they'd just grow stronger after every hurdle. He wished from the bottom of his heart that the happiness would last between them, and well, if it didn't, he promise he'd be the first one to beat up whoever was responsible.

* * *

As Chan watched Soonyoung teasing Jihoon as usual, he couldn't help wondering what in the world happened back when he first met them. If their feelings had been mutual from the beginning, why did Jihoon cough out petals?

"Chan," Wonwoo turned the page of a flower magazine absentmindedly, a cup of tea freshly brewed by Chan's work partner placed on the side, "Have you ever heard of the placebo effect?"

The shopkeeper stared at the older boy, who merely smiled in an exasperated manner.

Shaking his head at how silly yet plausible the theory seemed, Chan turned towards the couple who were still bantering in the front of the store. Soonyoung's new ear piercing shined brightly under the sun. A white four-leaf clover. Pure, simple, straightforward. Imperfect as single petals, but perfect together, as a whole.

May your love stay as pure as you've started it. Untarnished, for eternity.

* * *

White daisy = _loyal love_


	3. Orange Rose

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chan expands his business slightly by partnering up with a young aspiring cook. He didn't know that it'd be a buy one get two free deal.

Right, about the business partner mentioned earlier, it was really out of pure coincidence that they decided to start working together. Actually, Soonyoung suggested that Chan took in something like a disciple and recommended a schoolmate who was one year younger than the four roomies. Kim Mingyu was his name, and he claimed that the kid was exceptionally good with his hands.

Though when Chan met with the boy, Mingyu seemed extremely lost and admitted that he knew nothing about flower pressing, so that was a no-go. As an apology for troubling Chan, Mingyu offered him homemade jam. It had a very special fragrance to it, and Chan couldn't quite place a finger on what flavor it was. Granted, he wasn't all that well-read in culinary terms either, but even he could tell that it had an exquisite and unique taste to it.

"Oh, I'm glad you like it! It was my first time making rose jam..."

"Rose jam?" Chan had repeated dumbly while licking off remnants of the sweet substance from his fingers.

"Yeah, actually, I've been studying up on how to incorporate flowers with food to create new flavors and visual appeal. Most people use it in drinks, especially tea, but I'm sure there are more ways to appreciate the difference in fragrance-"

"You're hired."

Just like that, in addition to Chan's humble little workshop, the place also offered a small menu of flower-based light meals, but that was a whole other story on its own.

What Chan would really like to talk about was the absolutely bizarre, silly, yet just a little sad story of the two bundles of joy and sunshine that came with Mingyu, insisting on helping them with redesigning the space so that both businesses could function with a smooth blend, both architecture-wise and taste-wise.

"I'm in charge of tasting!" Seungkwan, their apparent resident gourmet master had immediately piped up when Mingyu came up with a menu draft.

"Then I guess I'll be in charge of making the design." Seokmin, the architecture student whom shared a couple of classes with Mingyu had offered.

Hearing this, Seungkwan's cheerful aura had diminished a couple levels but was quickly refueled, "Letting you do all the designing will only make it seem too textbook-y! Let me give you a couple of tips!"

"Of course, of course," Seokmin had laughed, a hand coming up to ruffle Seungkwan's hair as though it was the most natural thing to do, almost as natural as pouring milk after cereal, "In return, you'll let me have a taste of some samples, too."

"Deal!"

Chan and Mingyu exchanged exasperated glances, but smiled nonetheless. Anyone would think that Seungkwan and Seokmin were the perfect fit, probably even for a couple's criteria. However, Chan knew that it was impossible, and they knew as well. Granted, they didn't know back then, but things do change in the most unexpected and dramatic way. Whether they liked it or not.

* * *

 

It all started when Seungkwan asked for flower pressing tips, and by that point of his life and the encounters he's had, Chan already expected what was up. Under Chan's insistence, Seungkwan eventually gave in and showed the shop owner a half-done sunflower made up of orange rose petals. The handiwork was sloppy in Chan's point of view, but he wasn't really expecting much from amateurs anyway (but don't tell Seungkwan or he was never going to hear the end of it).

"It's a sunflower under the sunset, an evening sunflower. Don't you think it's a cool collaboration between Jun and I?" Seungkwan had joked when Chan inquired about the orange shade.

But in contrast to Junhui's sunset that was filled with yellow petals, Seungkwan's piece stood out much more in a darker sense, literally. To Chan, orange had always been an awkward color, even for an expert like him. It wasn't like it didn't go well with any of the other colors, on the contrary, it was a very good highlighter and orange petals were often his first choice when it came to sprinkling final touches. Yet, when you make a piece with orange as the main color, everything just seemed far too strong and overbearing, as though it was never meant to be the center of attention.

Which was why orange was often used only as a shading tool for Chan, so when he saw Seungkwan's "masterpiece" of strong bright orange (with little specks of dark here and there), he thought he was going to faint. If he were to describe the piece with the first word that came to mind upon laying eyes on it, that would be, without a doubt, "awkward".

But now that Chan thought back on it, that certainly was the case, whether they'd like to believe it or not.

Similar to Junhui, Seungkwan was stuck in a one-sided love with a guy who thought of him as his best bro; and like most, he was scared of ruining their friendship, so he kept his feelings buried while still pretending to be his usual goofy self around Seokmin.

Chan thought it was strange, the two definitely got along well and complemented each other more than any other duo he's come across, including all the couples he had met. So why did it have to be impossible between them?

As the days went on, Chan couldn't help feeling pain for the patient. Seokmin was definitely a nice guy, but the more he smiled at Seungkwan in his usual genuine manner, the more Seungkwan's smile faltered. Unwilling to see his friend suffer any further, Chan asked Seungkwan to consider removing the disease, but like Jihoon, the older refused, thinking that it'd be even more painful to forget these feelings all together.

"It might be hard for you to understand now, Chan, but... I don't regret falling in love. Even if it's just one-sided."

So he continued to watch on, just like how he did with Jihoon and Junhui. And just like last time, he wished he could do something about it. But unlike last time, as the days went on, Seungkwan and Seokmin only grew closer, yet there was still no sign of Seungkwan's condition getting any better. In fact, it appeared to be growing worse every time he visited the shop.

It was probably for the best, but at last, the breaking point came.

Mingyu had just finished a new sample of rose-scented honey, since Chan noted that he had some unused dried petals lying around, mostly from customers who visited once and then never came back to pick their progress up. Seungkwan had arrived later than usual, stating that he got caught up with extracurricular work, so Seokmin got the first taste of the sample.

Upon seeing Seungkwan rush into the workshop, Seokmin grinned merrily and waved him over. Once the younger student finally caught his breath, he began to explain the reason why he was late through uneven pauses as he was still just a little pooped out from rushing over, but mid-sentence, Seokmin interrupted him by resting one hand under Seungkwan's chin, pulling the younger forward in a gentle manner, then stuffed a piece of toast with the new honey sample into his mouth.

"Tasty, right? It's Mingyu's best creation yet!"

Maybe it was because of the rose scent suddenly spreading through his mouth and reminding him of his daily "practice", or maybe it was because of the intimate reaction finally crossing the invisible line they've both been dancing around, Seungkwan threw up. Thankfully, not over anyone, but still a fairly nasty sight.

"Seungkwan, what's wrong?! Are you-" Seokmin stopped himself, his eyes lingered upon the orange rose petals sticking to the corner of his underclassman's lips. Far from getting confused and shocked like Chan would have, Seokmin was actually enraged, grabbing Seungkwan's shoulders so tightly that Chan thought he could see the older's nails ripping into the younger's shirt, "Tell me, who's the bastard I have to beat up?"

 _Well, it's you._ Chan thought but kept quiet, it was always a lot more scarier when the happy ones snap. Besides, Seokmin clearly knew exactly what the condition was, this might go a lot more smoothly than he thought-

"Seungkwan, tell me!"

"It's you!"

Seokmin's expression shifted from anger to confusion, to shock, and then curiously enough, to sadness. His hands that had been gripping onto Seungkwan's shoulders so tightly just a few seconds ago had slipped off, and were now hanging limply at his sides. He watched on with such a complicated expression that Chan almost felt bad for him, even without understanding at the time.

Seungkwan on the other hand, had begun sniffling uncontrollably, afraid to look directly at Seokmin. It probably was for the best, because the architecture student was definitely not looking the most encouraging either.

It wasn't until another wave of orange rose petals exploded into the air along with horrible gagging noises that Seokmin finally snapped out of it, placing his palms gently against Seungkwan's cheeks, "Seungkwan, listen to me... You need to go through with the operation."

That was probably the worst possible thing to hear from the person you've been pining after one-sidedly for quite a long period of time, so much so that you were fully prepared to die with this love. Yet, his feelings disgusted him that much he'd rather they disappeared-

"Seungkwan, no, it's not like that..." Seokmin sighed as though he had read the younger's mind, and from Chan's observation of the two's closeness, he would have believed it anyway, "If this continues, you'll die... Trust me, that'll hurt me a lot more than you think."

"...So no matter what, you're saying it's impossible between us?" Seungkwan finally spoke, fumbling with a single orange petal between his fingers, "But even so, I-"

"Seungkwan, listen..." The older heaved a deep sigh, tilting the younger's face up again so that eye contact was unavoidable, "Don't say anything, just listen. Do you know how Mingyu got his previous supply of roses for all his experiments? They came from me. Literally." When Seungkwan still didn't quite seem to comprehend what Seokmin was getting at, he continued, "I had Hanahaki Disease, but I got it removed."

"...Oh. Good for-"

"The person I was pining after, was you."

Seungkwan stared at him. The single petal had been reduced to a crushed up orange mess. He felt a fresh wave of tears welling up as he slammed a fist into Seokmin's chest, "Why...? Why did you give up?!" Although he was wincing in pain, Seokmin didn't budge, and instead wrapped his arms around the crying boy, pulling him closer, "And why didn't I realize sooner...? I made you suffer so much, Seokmin, I'm so sorry..."

Chan watched with a heavy heart as Seungkwan curled up into a shivering pitiful ball in Seokmin's arms, his sobbing slowly grew to a wail. They were so close to fulfillment, yet now it was gone forever as an impossible cause.

"You'll find someone better, so forget about loving me, Seungkwan..." Seokmin whispered gently, threading his fingers through the younger's light curls, "I know how hard it is to give up, but think about it like this... At least we can still be with each other, we'll really have nothing if you die."

"What exactly..." Seungkwan choked out with difficulty, "What exactly do we even have now?"

Seokmin smiled, but it wasn't his usual bright and merry sunshine grin. He pressed his forehead against the younger's, "Something beyond friendship..." _but it won't ever reach love._

* * *

 

"Seungkwan, can you hand me the-" Before Seokmin even finished his question, Seungkwan had already placed the protractor in his palm, smiling at him brightly in the process, "Ah yes, that's it, thanks!"

Soonyoung shook his head at the sight while curled up at the makeshift bar (which was really Chan's cashier counter) with a glass of rose milk, with two straws, of course. Jihoon was just being shy and refusing to share at the moment, he'll want some later. It always happens.

"This is getting borderline creepy. It's like you can read his mind." Soonyoung commented, arching an eyebrow at Seungkwan.

"Well, of course! After all, we-"

"Finish each other's sentences!" Seokmin finished, slinging an arm around Seungkwan's waist affectionately as the younger laughed into his shoulder.

Chan sighed. They looked happy, they seemed happy, and they were undoubtedly happy. But sometimes, just sometimes, Chan would catch a glimpse of the evening sunflower resting in the corner of his workshop, and wonder to himself... If only Seokmin had waited a little longer, if only Seungkwan had accepted his feelings sooner, wouldn't they had been the perfect couple?

 _Perhaps not._ A very familiar gentle voice sounded in Chan's ear. _You see, Chan, some people are destined to be just friends, whether we like it or not._

He closed his eyes briefly before turning his attention back to the young self-proclaimed experts in gourmet and architectural design. _I understand, Jisoo. But for now... Isn't it fine for them to be happy like this?_

When Chan looked at the bantering duo before him, it made him think... Hey, maybe the friendzone wasn't such a bad place after all.

Love is strong when nurtured and returned, but friendship is far less breakable and fragile. Besides, friendship was more likely to last a lifetime, so in a way, maybe this was really for the best.

"Hey, Seungkwan."

"Hm?"

"You understand, right?"

"Of course," Seungkwan smiled, curling his hand around Seokmin's playfully, "What we have... is far better than love."

* * *

 

Orange rose = _between friends and lovers_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is this a happy end? A bad end? I'm not even sure myself.
> 
> And yeaaah Joshua is mentioned here! Don't worry, he will have his own story soon enough, but not just yet.  
> BUT Junhui is returning next chapter ;) but that's all I'll reveal for now.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm really sorry for spamming stories these days. For one thing, Jun is killing me with all the self-shipping, and hey, I just realized I don't have a multi-chapter thing for WonHui; also it's midterm period and I need some place to vent without actually venting.


End file.
